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Kimber Gold Combat vs Wilson CQB

34K views 45 replies 33 participants last post by  xkimberwomen 
#1 ·
I've heard quite a bit about how awesome Wilson's 1911s are. But I was wondering how does the Gold Combat stack up against it? Kimber says it's the finest in their own line of 1911's. And now with the price increase from Kimber, the $$ gap is even smaller. I've seen most posters over at the Wilson forum claim a night and day difference. What do ya'll think? This is not something that I can settle myself, as here in Nor Cal noone has either Wilson's or Kimbers to rent. I have a Kimber Custom TLE II myself, and I think Kimbers are just great, but I'd like to know about these mystical powers of the Wilsons.
 
#2 ·
Just some friendly advise, unless you are wealthy or single do not look at Wilson's. I have been captured by the mystical power of Wilson pistols and now I can not escape. Really I don't have the money to be buying Wilson's but I do anyway. They are great guns, they feel right, shoot right and look beautiful. In all honesty your TLE II is more .45 than you will ever need. I will never tell anyone not to buy a Wilson because I believe they are wonderful but beware, once you start you may be turned to the dark side forever....:biglaugh:

See what I mean....


All joking aside, you have to feel the difference to believe it.
 
#6 ·
Ditto....

I have a Custom TLE II and a full size CQB. Another major difference is the level of Customer Service. I have had both serviced by the respective manufacturers and while I have no complaints about Kimber's CS, the Wilson organization goes the extra mile for you.

Hope this helps! :)
 
#7 ·
I have a Kimber pistol produced by their Custom Shop and several Wilson pistols. The Custom Shop Kimber is nowhere near the Wilson pistols in smoothness, fitting of parts, appearance, or accuracy but it was considerably less expensive.
 
#8 ·
I am suprised ...

Nobody mentioned NightHawk, its where most of Wilsons good people went. I remember the article I do believe it was in SUREFIRES yearly tribute to itself where Ron Phillips states Nighthawk logo is laser etched into the grip so it wont be popping out all the time.
I am not trying to aggrevate this thread but we're talking guns that are extremely expensive but if I had the money for a Wilson or a NightHawk, I'd probably buy two Kimbers ...my .2 cents


Michael
 
#9 ·
Yeah, not really fair comparison

Kinda like comparing a Saturn Sky with a Porche Caymen. Yes, the Porche is that much better, but it is also that much more expensive. If you have the money, buy the Porche. I personally think the DW are even better value 1911s than the Kimbers. You might take a look for half the price of the Kimber. Very good parts/fit etc. on the few I gotten my paws on.

Shooter429
 
#10 ·
I bought my Eclipse before I bought the CQB Compact......stupid me.
I should have bought a full size CQB for and never wasted my time with the Eclipse, hence my current order with Wilson.

My Eclipse has not been a "problem" handgun, it ran great out of the box with only some minor FTF issues early on.

The finish and feel of the CQB compact is a night and day difference compared to the Eclipse.

Looking at the Gold Combat on Kimber's website the price difference is only $200.00 less then a standard CQB.

Ed Brown or Les Baer is another option besides Wilson. Them Kobra's do look damn sexy.

Also Ron Phillips is no longer with Nighthawk, he opened his own business.
 
#11 ·
Looking at the Gold Combat on Kimber's website the price difference is only $200.00 less then a standard CQB.
One question, are Wilson's pistols considerably cheaper than what they list on the website? I just ordered a Stainless Gold Combat, and while it retails for $2100.00 or so, I got it for a touch over $1600.00. The last time I saw a Wilson for sale locally, it was almost right on the money for what they retail. Going by that, it is really not a fair comparison considering that Kimber's SRP is never what you pay at the store.
 
#12 ·
:) I have both, and the Wilsons are much better. Better fit, better quality parts, more accurate. Wilsons, when you rack the slide feel like they are gliding on butter. I have 12 Kimbers, three high end, they are a little cheaper than the Wilsons, but, there is no comparison in quality, plus you get the Wilson warranty. If you can afford it, get a Wilson, if not, then get the Kimber. Even though I like the Wilsons best, I have never seen a 1911 I did not like.
 
#13 ·
i have a Gold Combat 2, it was my first and only 1911 style pistol. i have shot many Wilsons and Baers belonging to others at my local range and maybe it's my inexperience but i can't see any real difference between them and my Kimber. my GC2 has functioned flawlessly and can put 8 rnds virtually in one hole at 25yrds.

as for quality, it is just as tight and smooth as any other $$$ 1911 pistol i have tried.
 
#14 ·
This is a pretty common type of thread. Someone posts a comparison between two pistols that have no business being on the same page. If I could get a Wilson, Brown or Baer for $600 like new, I'm all over it. Until that happens, I'm lovin' my Eclipse Target II. I haven't shot a gun that I can group better with. I had someone offer $1100 for it. I think they liked the Brown parts:biglaugh: They probably liked the large hole they shot with it at 15 yds. He was a better shooter than I am and he couldn't group like that with his TRP.


I have been drooling over a Kobra Karry for years and the Nighthawk T3 is drop dead sexy as well, but until I have one of those, my Kimbers satisfy my 1911 addiction just fine. I don't compare customs with production models. There is a reason for the price difference..........duh!
 
#15 ·
I don't compare customs with production models. There is a reason for the price difference..........duh!
What about something like the Kimber Super Match II and the Les Baer Premier II? Both target guns, one is the the flagship of the Kimber line and the other is Baer's best seller. Street price of both guns is roughly the same.

Why shouldn't I compare them?
 
#16 ·
Same price, get the baer. No need to compare. Get the Kimber if you can find the same one used. I wouldn't pay more than $800 like new. I had to wait 2 years to find my Eclipse at the price I wanted. The Baer has the reputation. I won't begin to dispute that. If you have the money for it, get it! Post a review on the Baer section, I'd like to read it:rock:
 
#17 ·
I've owned several high end kimbers, a Les Baer PII, and 2 wilson cqbs and a wilson classic so i can relate to this thread. This is what i've learned and everyone is different btw.

Kimbers - Guess ive been lucky or all that negative QC issues are just rumors because i never had any issues with my kimbers. Fit and function were tight and smooth. Everything shot POA and POI. I was pretty darn impressed since kimbers were my first experience in high end 1911s. Its funny because i actually set them as my benchmark and standard.

Les Baer - To be honest i think Les Baer guns are overated. After more then 10,000 rounds the gun was still tight...so tight that i still needed tools to take the gun down. Fit and finish was great but then i realized a 1911 doesnt need to be this tight a pain in the ass to take down and put back together to be reliable and accurate. Dont get me wrong...les bear makes fine 1911's but its not my cup of tea. i just prefer a 1911 i field strip with my bare hands and still be accurate and reliable.

Wilsons - Fit and finish is beyond words. The guns are highly accurate and reliable. Also i dont need tools to take it down and put it back together. I was impressed with my first wilson i ended up getting 2 more.

Get the kimber you won't regret it...but if you can afford it buy a wilson. In the end unless ur a pro shooter i dont think you'll be able to outshoot a high end kimber.
 
#18 ·
My first 1911 was a Kimber Custom II. It's a wonderful firearm, but I no longer have it because it just stayed at home when I went to the range. I gave it to my younger brother as he needed a good gun.

I now shoot a Les Baer Concept II. I got it barely used, if at all, at an excellent price. The Concept II is a superior gun all around than the Custom II. It's more accurate, better fit, and uses better parts. Plus it doesn't have the Schwarz safety. It's even better than Kimber's top of the line custom shop offering, the Supermatch II. And it's available for the same price as the Gold Combat II.

It's not that I don't like Kimbers, because I do. If I didn't like my Custom II I doubt that I would have bought another 1911. But Kimber uses the same parts in all their 1911s. The Supermatch and Gold Combat have the same ugly mismatched finished MIM parts that my Custom II has, as well as the same cheap plastic mainspring housing. So what exactly do you get for the several hundred more you spend for the Gold Match?

Kimbers make good guns. But their custom shop guns aren't always a good value. Before anyone buys a higher-end Kimber I suggest they take a look at Wilson, Rock River, Les Baer, or Ed Brown.
 
#24 ·
I'm only capable of a 3-4 inch offhand group at 25 yards anyway so I probably won't ever spend the extra cash for a Wilson Combat or Ed Brown; I have examined both Wilsons and Ed Browns before and their fit and finish is really top-notch - the slide to frame fit on the Ed Brown that I looked at a long time back was tighter than any other 1911 I've ever handled. My Gold Combat performs good enough for me right now, and works very well too.
 
#25 ·
I've heard quite a bit about how awesome Wilson's 1911s are. But I was wondering how does the Gold Combat stack up against it?
The Gold Combat is quite a gun. The best way to run this comparison is to purchase the Gold Combat, shoot about 5000 rounds thru it. Get to know it very well. Next, pick up a Wilson CQB. Just hold it in your hands and carefully function the exquisitely fitted slide. Now you can truly appreciate the Wilson, and you will wish you had purchased it instead. Only by doing this can you truly understand the difference.
 
#32 ·
I have limited experence with the 1911 platform but I will give you my imput. My first 1911 was a Kimber Stainless Target II. This was then the finest pistol I could imagine owning. The slide felt like it was on bearings (after the first 2000 rounds), the trigger broke at a crisp 4lbs with minimal creep and it felt better than anything else I have shot.

My second 1911 is a Wilson CQB. The trigger I found was much better, no creep. The slide after 2000 rounds was the pure defenition of smooth. It locks up tighter than a bank vault, yet disassembles with ease. The finish is tough as nails. I have close to 4000 rounds through it now and lots of holster time and their is not a single mark on the gun.

Honestly, if I were going to shoot less than 2000 rounds a year I would get the Kimber. It is a super nice gun and after the break-in should run 100%. Do yourself a favor and never shoot a Wilson if you get the Kimber. :)
 
#34 ·
I'll be the odd man out. This Stainless Gold Combat II was purchased NIB in April of 07 from a Dallas gun show for $1365 + tax. Though personally very happy with the fit and finish, I would compare the function, slick action, accuracy, POA-POI, and trigger pull with ANY 1911 made. It's that good.
 
#36 ·
it's your money

I have 3 jeeps and 1 mercedes. all get the job done. mercedes just feels allot better. Into traditional archery, have 3 custom one of a kind bows and one off the shelf samick. samick gets it done but custom bows are just cool cause they are one of a kind. Wilsons,Baers, Night hawks, Rock Rivers, etc all nice, all pricey... if you can afford it by all means get one (or more:) Me I like nice guns but lots of them and lotrs of ammo so I buy kimber or springer or sigs or smith... at least until the kid gets out of college. Than I will curl up with a CQB, a scatter gun tech 870 and an urban ar from wilson:)
 
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